In his annual State of the State address, Snyder vowed to do everything in his power to solve the crisis, asking legislators for $28 million to fund a series of immediate actions.
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Flint’s man-made disaster has been festering for more than a year. “The most relevant piece is for me to step up and say here are my personal e-mails, not only the ones I sent, but the ones I received”.
Some people have reported rashes, hair loss and other problems since Flint, under a state-appointed emergency manager, switched to Flint River water in April 2014 from a Detroit-run water system to save money, attorneys for the residents said. That’s as Snyder delivered his sixth State of the State address.
Following the switch, residents complained of the water’s smell, taste and color, with some saying the water caused rashes and hair loss.
And for those who accuse him of being incompetent, “you can say there were real challenges”.
To add to Snyder’s woes, the Environmental Protection Agency squarely pointed the finger at state and local authorities: “What happened in Flint should not have happened”, the agency said in a statement.
Rick Snyder, Michigan Governor, has taken accountability for, and apologized for contaminated water in Flint. Michigan’s top environmental regulator Dan Wyant resigned over the failure to ensure that the Flint River water was properly treated to keep lead from pipes from leaching into the water.
“I’m sorry and I will fix it”, said Snyder, a Republican. “Let’s focus in on the solution and how to deal with the damage that was done and help the citizens of Flint and make Flint a stronger community”.
The supplemental funding would be in addition to the $9.3 million lawmakers approved in October to move the city back to Detroit’s water system, provide for DEQ to test drinking water samples, allow the Department of Health and Human Services to purchase and distribute water filters, and fund state plumbing inspections for schools and health facilities. In the last few days, it has drawn attention in the White House and prompted accusations that the state has ignored a health risk in a largely black city.
Snyder committed $28 million more in the short term to dealing with the lead contamination that has left Flint residents unable to drink unfiltered tap water.
“I don’t know how many kids were poisoned because of these false assurances, but we’re going to find out”. “Stuff is revealed that hasn’t been revealed”, he said.
Asked what Schuette intends to do about the water billings and potential shut-offs, spokeswoman Andrea Bitely said, “He is reviewing the situation to see what can be done”. “But our people need financial aid, and they need it now”.
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“They’ve got a very hard problem, and I know the governor’s got a very hard time going, but you know, I shouldn’t be commenting on Flint”, he said. Untreated water from the Flint River corroded pipes which resulted in high levels of lead in the water. Early testing has suggested that once the fixtures are replaced, elevated lead-levels in the water drop into the safe zone, according to the Detroit Free Press.
